Africa Accelerates Push for Health Sovereignty After USAID Cuts

Following abrupt U.S. aid cuts in February, African governments and civil society are uniting across political lines to reclaim control of their health systems and reduce dependence on foreign donors.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) froze and subsequently canceled a significant share of its grants earlier this year – despite a new US$1.6 billion, five-year deal with Kenya. The broader withdrawal of global health funding continues to jeopardize essential services, particularly in sexual and reproductive health and gender equality programs.

In response, African leaders are advancing domestic solutions. Kenya’s recent overhaul of its health insurance system – replacing the National Health Insurance Fund with a more inclusive Social Health Insurance Fund – exemplifies a continent-wide shift toward national financing models.

“African actors are stepping up with real alternatives,” said Christabel Netondo, Senior Associate for Youth Engagement at Women Deliver. Yet she cautioned that global frameworks like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals often embed colonial power dynamics that sideline local priorities.

This sentiment echoed at the November African Regional Convening in Nairobi, hosted by Sonke Gender Justice and attended by over 200 advocates, policymakers, and grassroots leaders. The event, a precursor to Women Deliver 2026, contributed to a global “Feminist Playbook” launched at the UN General Assembly to hold leaders accountable and center women and girls in policy design.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is being urged to expand its leadership in public health, while regional philanthropy networks – like the East Africa Philanthropy Network – are mobilizing private capital to close funding gaps.

“The goal is clear: rebuild African health sovereignty through homegrown institutions, diversified financing, and people-led accountability,” Netondo said. “It’s not just possible – it’s already underway.”